Detroit Tigers Top 30 Prospects for 2024: #14 Brant Hurter

Detroit Tigers pitching prospect Brant Hurter clocks in at 14th on our list.

The Detroit Tigers have been known for their pitching prospects over the years. Whether it's Casey Mize, Beau Burrows, Matt Manning, or Alex Faedo, they have former first-rounders who were expected to be the core of this team. But, lately, the tide has changed.

Sure, Jackson Jobe was a third-overall draft pick with a ton of upside in his own right, but the team has targeted position players more often in recent drafts. The Detroit Tigers have also taken their fair share of later-round picks, selecting pitchers hoping to find another gem.

Tarik Skubal is the team's de facto ace heading into 2024, and he was a ninth-round pick out of Seattle University. The Tigers took a chance on the collegiate southpaw, and he blossomed into the arm he is today. Who's to say another left-handed pitcher taken beyond the top five rounds can't blossom?

Look no further than Brant Hurter, the Georgia Tech product who has made some noise since joining the Tigers organization, specifically with success in 2023. He put together an outstanding performance, and it has led to him climbing up some of the prospect rankings, not just ours here at Motor City Bengals. Let's get into it.

Frame & Delivery:

Hurter's a 6-foot-6, 250-pound southpaw with a massive build. He's large and well-proportioned, with plenty of mass throughout to be an imposing figure on the mound. There's no expectation of continued growth in the frame, but with his stature, he's got a great build. It's a higher-set waist with long levers throughout and sturdiness that shows.

He's a physical left-hander who works from the wind-up, using a hybrid setup. He's offset to the plate and takes a step backward toward third base, working mostly on the first base side of the rubber. He gets into a big leg lift, tucked and coiled as he gets to the peak of his leg lift.

He gets some extension working downhill, primarily due to the length in his lower half. The takeaway is longer, with a higher load on his arm as he comes through the arm circle. The frontside pulls through, and then his chest and arm come flying through release, with a ton of acceleration.

It's a real quick arm stroke, throwing from a more three-quarters slot. But with his height and lengthy levers, it makes for a challenging attack angle for hitters. It's a bonus with his height and frame, paired with the arm slot. But, at the same time, there are negatives to his height.

Looking at the delivery, it's a bit rigid at times. There's no doubt about his acceleration through release, but sometimes, it feels like he's upright through the throwing motion, and he can be rigid as he rides the slope and extends forward, again, mostly due to the length that pulls him downhill as he gets that lead leg out.

But overall, Hurter's big, physical, and delivery is fine. The Tigers player development staff has already made some changes compared to his college days, and he's taken to them well through his time with the organization.

Arsenal:

Hurter's shown a full three-pitch mix that he can command with a ton of accuracy. The fastball works up into the low-90s and can get up into the mid-90s. It has always been a pitch he can command. As mentioned above, the release height and angle he has to attack hitters can factor in with the pitch, allowing him to throw hitters off-balance. It has some sinking action to it, from that three-quarters slot, that also helps him miss bats.

The selling point with Hurter is his slider. The pitch works the low- to mid-80s with a filthy break to it. It's a wipeout pitch and induces a ton of swings and misses. The pitch has true sweeper traits, getting around the ball and creating serious lateral depth, with some tilt from that higher slot he works from. It's a pitch he can frontdoor to lefties or backfoot to righties, speaking to his ability to command once again.

His third offering may not be as lights-out as the slider, but what's a left-handed pitcher without a quality changeup? Hurter can turn over a mid-80s changeup and create some depth to it. The pitch acts similar to the fastball, but he sells it well, replicating his arm speed and being able to fade it arm-side, causing problems for right-handers.

What to make of Brant Hurter's success with the Detroit Tigers in 2023:

There was plenty to like with Hurter's success in 2023 as he started to really find his way in the organization. He played with the Double-A Erie Seawolves, making 26 starts, accumulating 118.0 innings pitched. He pitched to a 3.28 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP while walking 33 and striking out 133 opposing hitters.

The command was there, and it continues to be an asset to Hurter, keeping him in the mix as a starter. Ahead of 2023, I had forecasted Hurter would trail off as a starter and take on a relief role, but I'm sold now. I'll eat my words after seeing him succeed in 2023.

If Hurter can continue to advance through the organization throwing strikes and pitching as effectively as he has, there's traits of a big-leaguer here.

Outlook:

Leading into this from the last section, it feels like Hurter has a real chance to be a big-league pitcher one day. He's big, physical, and has the pitch mix to succeed. He throws strikes, punches batters out, and can handle himself on the mound well.

The only thing left standing in his way is proving it at the Triple-A level. Hurter has a chance to continue building experience in 2024 and proving that he can handle the next level before eventually getting a chance in the big leagues. I like the profile in the long term, and it feels like there's something here with Hurter.